Church in the World

Priest fears for tribal people

Colombia

A Catholic priest and spokesman for Colombia's 87 indigenous groups says his country's armed conflict is destroying indigenous communities, writes Ellen Teague.

Fr Luis Evelis Andrade, president of the Indigenous Organisation of Colombia, blames indifference on the part of President Alvaro Uribe, US support for defoliating rainforest as a means of combating drug trafficking, and the quest for natural resources by transnational corporations, which stimulates military activity.

On a visit to Britain last week, organised by the UK-based Colombia Solidarity Campaign, Fr Andrade reported that "the armed conflict has converted our territories into battlegrounds and blockades have caused shortages of food and medicines causing malnutrition and death". He called for all armed groups to leave indigenous territories and respect indigenous control of these areas.

One of the corporations singled out for criticism by Fr Andrade was Anglo American, the British-based global mining and natural resources company. Acknowledging that his company's activities could affect local communities, Edward Bickham said that "Anglo American would not have relations with paramilitary groups in Colombia, especially at the expense of local indigenous communities".